The Crimecatcher s lover
by BeatrizCrespo
Summary: Bella Swan, New York socialite, leaves her home for a small town, with fear and danger at her heels. What will happen when the young student, falls in love with the man who was suposed to protect her, here, in Forks, all the rules are broken
1. Chapter 1

HI EVERYONE. SO IM BACK AND READY TO START A NEW STORY. TOMORROW I WILL UPLOAD THE SECOND PART OF MY FORBIDDEN LOVE SERIES 1ST WAS A STUDENTS LOVE, AND NOW COMES THE SECOND SCENARIO, THE CRIMECATHCHER. WATCH OUT FOR IT, ITS ABOUT YOUNG BELLA, LIVING IN HER OWN APARTMENT IN NEW YORK, WHEN HER HOUSE IS BROKEN INTO, GUESS WHO THE COP SENT OUT TO PROTECT HER IS... YUP, NONE OTHER THAN EDWARD CULLEN. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE COP HAS TO CARE FOR THE VICTIM HE MIGHT LOVE? READ AND SEE


	2. Breaking in

Chapter 1- Breaking in

In the world of high fashion there is only one name that matters. No one in the world is oblivious or dumb enough to never have heard of the name, so no one in this world was ignorant enough to not know me. There, In that single, four letter word lay the root of all the evils in my world. Swan. The name many worshiped and I loathed was Swan. And I hated because it meant that a simple, shy girl with average brown eyes, and dull brown hair had to always be thrown in front of the spotlight. And that girl, in case someone hadn't figured it out yet, was me.

Isabella Swan. That's me, and I wish I could have an average dull name. What happened to plain old Jennifer, or Jane? To Smith and Johnson? To names people easily forgot, and faces that people didn't recognize? Whatever it was, I wish I had one of those names. Passable names, names that people heard of many times, and rarely remembered. Because, of all the things I wished I could be, invisible was the one I wanted most.

I was six when my mother's company reached the top of the fashion world. It was summer, and I was excited because maybe that year, we would move out of our one bedroom apartment in the Bronx. Maybe we could move to a two bedroom in Brooklyn, or a modest house in Rhode Island. I didn't understand that when my mother said making it big, she meant big. We never had much, just the food in our fridge and the clothes on our backs, so the change was almost instant. One day mom was working for an unknown designer, the next; her designs were being exported to Brazil, Tokyo, Japan, England, Paris. And my life was never the same again. First she bought us a penthouse in Manhattan. Then it was a chauffeur and me, an Au-Pair. I was changed from schools, from public institutions where kids carried firearms, to private exclusive schools where kids carried iron tongues and always dressed in the latest. I was picked on at first, the quiet, shy girl from public school. That is until someone noticed that the latest they were wearing was made by Swan and Swan, Renee Swan that is, just happened to pick me up from school on that day. That's when they changed. Everyone stood in awe now, walked around me and smiled. Said good morning and invited me to sit at their lunch table. I made the mistake at sitting at a table where all the girls would smile brightly. I later discovered those were the rulers of the school, and once I was in, I couldn't get out. Their Queen, was Rosalie Hale. Everyone was afraid of her, including her friends, but surprisingly, after some time being thrown together by circumstance Rosalie Hale became my very best friend.

All through Prep, and Middle School Rosalie and I were inseparable. We were so different, it was odd. Rosalie always towered over me, at sixteen she was 5'9. Long blonde hair framed a pale white face with blue catlike eyes and big full lips, always painted red. Her body was the type girls took punches at themselves by just looking at her, the type of body you would see in sports illustrated swimsuit edition or on the cover of vogue. The thing was, at sixteen years old, Rosalie Hale became the cover girl for "Swan" and in doing so she shot up the charts, her fame and beauty awed all those around her, and unfortunately, it shot me up too. I didn't know why, but people had a rare fascination with us, everywhere we would go people would stare and ask for our autographs. We would get invited to upscale parties, and be seen in magazines, we would be asked to do spreads, and do interviews. We were connected to famous artists and singers; we were talked about, and sent fan mail. That's when I decided I had had enough. It was the summer before my senior year, and I was going through fan mail, when I started to get afraid.

All summer long I had received mail from different types of people, stoners, pervs, genuine fans, crazies, but there was one recurring person that always caught my eyes because his letters were always love letters, he would profess his love for me and beg me to give him an opportunity to show me his feelings. I never answered. So his new letter came as no surprise, its content, however did.

_Isabella:_

_You are young and naïve and have no idea the intensity of my feelings for you. If you don't give me a chance to prove them I will have to find a way to show you. I know once you are in my arms you will understand everything I have done is just for you. There is no way to avoid destiny, Isabella. One way or another, my love, we will be together._

_J._

After this fear clouded my senses, my eyes blurred and I knew there was only one way to get out of this crazy life. I just wasn't cut out for living in this mayhem.

Two days later I had a house in New York State, a new car, and was attending Jefferson High School a public school in a quiet suburban neighborhood. My mom didn't mind, she was too busy to care, so I got a chef and housekeeper and servants to care for me, and was free to be normal, if just once. I dyed my highlighted brown-blonde hair a deep mahogany color, removed all the outrageous clothes from my closet took of my fake, acrylic nails and for the first time in ten years, I felt free.

The house was beautiful, a three bedroom with a wraparound porch and a swing in the back yard. It had daisies and violets growing in the front garden, and a small pool with a connected Jacuzzi by the back of the house, near the newly remodeled kitchen. It had a low fence, and the hedge wasn't so tall that I couldn't see the neighbors next door. They waved when I came in, There were three of them: A Tall man, with dark hair receding to the back of his head, and stunning blue eyes, a shorter woman with dark brown hair that fell just past her shoulders and welcoming grey eyes, and a girl. She was tiny, with small, pixie-like features and a stunning face, she was short enough to look like a child but her body, which was thin to the extreme, but curvy in the right places said otherwise. She had big grey eyes that stared at her knowingly, then went unfocused, her complexion was shockingly pale, paler than mine, which was almost translucent. She smiled, and nodded at me, then turned around and walked back into the house. I took her leaving as a cue to enter my new home, and left, wondering what my new life might hold.

The house had two balconies, one was in my room, which was on the left side of the house, and opposite the family I had just seen, stared into another equally sized balcony, from the house on the right. If all the houses were the same, and she figured they were, the other balcony must be through the bedroom across the hall. Her room was pretty, painted in purple tones with a dark bed spread and glittering curtains, it was girly, and frilly, but she could see herself sleeping here. She opened the doors to her balcony, looked out and released a sigh. It was twilight, the end of a new day in her life, and for the first time in many years, she felt lonely. She would miss New York and its hectic noise, her mother's voice when she worried about a new design, most of all she would miss Rose, and their friendship, she would miss having someone to talk to and tell her hopes and dreams, someone whose shoulder to cry on when tabloids would say she got Botox to fill her lips, or breast implants. But then she remembered, that wouldn't happen, here, in this lonely quiet place with barely any noise and subtle greenery she would not be recognizable, she would be just Bella Swan, average girl in an average place, with a perfectly average life. That was fine by her.

I was up by dawn, looking through my balcony, with a mug of coffee in one hand, I saw the breathtaking view of the breaking dawn. All the colors in the sky gave me hope for a bright future, away from the insanity and the hectic pace I used to live at. Getting ready for school was easy, public school meant where what you want, and since it was a warm day, I threw on a casual ice blue top, with stretchy jeans and a pair of blue wedges. I rejoiced at not having to wear make-up or diamonds, the only extravagant thing I had was my hand bag: Gucci. Shoes and handbags were the only things I couldn't leave behind, it was just too hard, I loved all the colors and styles and textures, they made me feel secure, plus, my handbags were triple zipper, so no one could get in it without me noticing. In it I put my notebooks, pens, purse with cash and credit cards, house keys and a few basic necessities, band aids for when I tripped (which was something I did frequently) a oatmeal bar, and a pair of hair scrunchies.

Walking out the front porch I saw the tiny girl from next door getting into a shiny yellow car. It was a Porsche 911 turbo, or so it said on the back in a silvery cursive scrawl. She beeped at me as I got into my Mercedes Guardian, and I laughed, my car was definitely not going to draw too much attention to me.

First days at new schools were something I had only had to go through once, and that was hard, so I was worried about the reception I would have in Jefferson High, where I was the new girl, and where I hoped no one would recognize me. My mother had forced the staff to sign a confidentiality agreement, so no one would actually know who I was, but I was still worried my face would be too familiar, even in this small town suburb.

As I saw it, I thought that maybe I was underdressed here, the kids drove expensive sports cars, and dressed in all designer, here I thought I was in a simple public school! Well, it was public, I just never thought it would be one of those schools where the rich population was the majority, I mean who would want to live in Forks, New York when they had money? Oh right, I did. I laughed at myself as I got out of the car and the girl that was coming out of a bright blue Legally blonde Audi, stared at me as if I were some phenomenon of nature. She had curly dark hair and was short and curvy, her blue eyes pointed sharply at me so I cringed a bit as she walked away.

I walked straight into the big building, looking at my feet the whole way in, praying that I wouldn't trip and fall in front of all the people that were crowding the lockers by the entrance.

I already had my class schedule and locker number so I didn't have to stop by the office, and the map of the school highlighted my classes so I wouldn't get lost. MY first class Gym with coach McCarty, but I knew I wouldn't have to actually do that class, I had a medical certificate that made sure of that, but I had to sit in the bleachers and take theoretical classes, so I made my way there first.

Coach McCarty was a 23 year old college student who taught part time at the school to pay his way through Cornwall. He was huge and buff, with curly brown hair and dimples in his cheeks. He was funny and picked on me all through class about being so uncoordinated I got a medical excuse from gym. Today class was about volleyball so he told everyone to grab a ball and start practicing, saying it would do no good for him to get in the way of their groove. I laughed at this, and he came to sit beside me.

"Hi Isabella" he said to me, showing his dimples "I'm Emmett"

"Hey coach, its just Bella"

"Ok, so Bella, how you liking Jefferson?

"Well seeing as this is my first class and my teacher already introduced himself by his first name, I'd say pretty good." I smiled, and he laughed a booming laugh, it sounded like a land slide had just started and the echo in the gym made everybody look our way. The girl with the curly hair that I hadn't noticed before directed a sharp look in our direction and whispered to a corn silk blonde next to her, she too looked our way with an evil glare, before a cute boy with a round face and spiky blonde hair accidentally hit her with the ball because she wasn't paying attention, at this she started making a show, crying dramatically until Emmett reached where she was, this only made her cry harder and clutch at his chest. He eventually gave up, and picked her up bridal style to take her to the nurse, apparently her leg hurt badly, but I could swear I saw a smirk on her face as she looked at her friend, who didn't look worried at all.

After Gym I had English with Ms. Anderson, and French with Madame Angelique, a real French teacher that was here on a teacher exchange program. After that was the terrifying affair that was lunch. I rejoiced at my very normal looking cafeteria, with its normal food, no sushi or lobster, just normal, generic food, served by normal women wearing hair nets. I grabbed some chili fries, and a Pepsi, and sat down by myself. Two seconds later I was being crowded by a group of people. First came Alice Brandon, the girl next door, who was nice enough to introduce herself, tell me her favorite books, music, shows and movies all in one sentence before telling me we would be great friends. After that came Jasper Whitlock, Alice's boyfriend, who was tall and built, with dirty blonde hair that fell just passed his eyes. He was beautiful, but so very quiet and serious. She liked him because he gave out an air of calmness around him that was just contagious. Alice brought over her other friends, Emily and Sam, who were a couple and used to live in a native American reservation up north before moving to New York, and Jacob and Seth, two other Native American boys. One was lanky with long dark hair in a ponytail, the other tall and bulky, with washboard abs visible through his skin tight black t-shirt and torn up pants. His hair was cropped short, his skin a copper tone, and his eyes dark as night, like his hair. He was beautiful, and everyone just seemed to be happy and smiling around him, his exuberance was contagious.

They asked her all sorts of questions, which she tried her hardest to answer without lying, and actually found she was enjoying herself in this crazy group of people. None of them seemed to have anything in common, but they all moved in unison, all adding something to the team. Alice was the planner, the quirky fashionista (she feared this the most) who lead everyone else. Jasper was the one you talked to, the calm after and before the storm, Sam and Emily, worked together as one, Emily would mother the boys, and Sam would keep them in line, and every time they looked at each other I felt the urge to look away, I felt as if I was invading the most intimate of moments, for every time they're eyes met, their love for each other shone in their eyes. After lunch Jacob and I had Biology with Dr. Cullen, so we left together to the third floor where the labs were.

"So Bella, where are you from?" he asked me, and his curiosity seemed genuine, not forced from politeness or gossip.

"New York City" I told him

"Oh, so you moved out her with your parents?"

"Not exactly" I grimaced, and he seemed to notice my reluctance to talk on that subject so he changed to school related topics.

"Our teacher Doctor Cullen is the local doctor, she gives us Biology classes though, and is the recruit for medical school scholarships in all the East Coast, her and her husband are like this super medical team, she's a heart surgeon, he does neurosurgery. Their son, Edward, is the town sheriff, just got back from Iraq, honorably discharged, almost lost his hands too, shame though, he was a pianist, the best there ever was at Jefferson. Anyways, The doctors live next door to you, thought you should know your neighbors. I knew Edward when we were kids, I live just on the other road, we used to play together even though he was 6 years older, but after middle school we lost touch, he sort of keeps to himself, even though all the girls here drool over him, he's just a quiet guy. He lives a bit further off now, a mile or so away from us, wanted independence so he bought his own house, still stayed close to home though."

I hadn't really noticed the couple that lived next door, I hadn't seen them or even heard them from my open window, but it was good to know they weren't the creepy neighbor type, or the mean ones either, from what Jacob said, they were all around good people, quiet, shy, just like me.

Doctor Cullen turned out to be a great teacher. She was medium height with caramel hair that had tinted golden and reddish brown tones, and it was put up in a classy bun. She was wearing a doctors coat, with simple black pumps. Her face, however, was what captivated her. She had a round, mothering face, gentle and delicate. Her skin, was pale white, with red blush on her cheeks, her eyes were almond shaped, and a beautiful hazel-green color. I didn't understand, after leaving New York, I thought I would fit in because everyone I knew wouldn't be a model or designer or famous actress, but everyone here was so damn beautiful, all different, but all so very the same. I never thought I would still stand out as the ugly duckling amongst the swans. Oh the irony!

"Hello Everyone, before I begin, I would like to introduce a student that will be joining us, Bella Swan" she smiled and I raised my head slightly to feel the eyes of everyone in the class, on my back, on y face. I felt the embarrassing blush rush to my cheeks, and the smile I forced looked more like a grimace than I had wanted it to.

"Bella, would you say something about yourself please?" she asked sweetly and I blushed even redder.

Standing up, I tried to lift my head a bit but, it felt as if there was a weight hanging by my neck.

"Hi, I'm Bella, umm, I'm from New York City, and umm, I'm sixteen years old."

"You're young to be a senior" said someone in the back

"Umm, yeah, I skipped a couple of grades" I stammered and then sat clumsily back down.

The rest of the class went on without a further glitch, and then it was finally time to go home. I got in my car, driving as fast as the speed limit let me, urging myself to get there as soon as possible. But at the corner of my block I was blocked off by two police cars. I got out to see what was going on, and saw my house, in the middle surrounded by cops.

I tried to get through, but they wouldn't let me.

"That's my house" I told them, and they backed off.

I ran towards it, wondering what was going on. In the front yard I was swarmed by cops, but I ignored them, something had caught my eye, there, on the door, written in what looked like red paint, was a message

_You can run but you can't hide. I told you I'd always be there. _

I took in a sharp breath. Now I was afraid. It was him, J, I knew it was, but how could he have found me here? So soon? I felt dizzy, and nervous, and like I needed to sit down, or rather, crash to the floor, but before I hit the floor, strong arms, caught me, and pulled me against a rock hard chest. I kept my eyes closed for a second, comforted in the warmth of the strong body, then let go, and opened my eyes and came face to face with the most beautiful man I had ever seen.

"Miss Swan, I'm Sherriff Cullen, I'm afraid I need to ask you some questions"…

**Well that's it for the first chapter, let me know what you think, I'm rusty so I need to know how I'm doing, don't be afraid to give constructive criticism (keyword-constructive and im so glad to be back. BTW- those who've read a Students love and the climb know about my crazy update schedule, well I cant keep up with a new chapter every day anymore, I'm in law school now, so I need to study, fanfiction wont pay the bills ya know! So I'll try to update as much as possible but don't expect a new chapter everyday, and also the internet connection here sucks, so I might be updating many chapters at once but at a crazy schedule, sorry, but, that's the way the wind blows. Missed Ya, hope you enjoy this new story, I have a lot of great things planned!**


	3. Chapter 3

EPOV  
She had the kind of eyes you could look into forever. Warm, chocolate brown, and deeper than any he had ever seen before. Her lips were the type men daydreamed about kissing, Italian masters put on statues of goddesses, with and without arms. Her skin was porcelain white, and so breakable, that if not for the red blush, it could be confused for that of a china doll. Her hair was long, unlike the style in this town, which was a Katie Holmes, bangs and bob style, her hair reached well down her back and was the colour of deep mahogany, it looked like silk, and made him won der, that if he touched it would it feel just like it? He could imagine himself knotting his fingers in that hair, and caressing that skin. He could see himself, holding her slender frame in his arms again, as he had seconds ago when he had helped her. She was soft, and beautiful, and oh so fragile looking.

And for all these things he hated her. He hated her because she was beautiful, and because when he held her, he felt the electric shock women swoon over when reading their romance books, and watching their romantic comedies. He hated her because she was young, younger than he was by far, and younger than his morals, or anyone else's would deem fantasizing over appropriate. But most of all he hated her for who she was. Because he knew who "Bella Swan" was, and he saw the changes in her, from when she was Isabella. Her physical appearance might be different, she might seem more wholesome now, than what her product based self used to be, but he was sure, that on the inside, she was still the party girl, the trouble maker that got a DUI, under aged drinking, and pictures posted everywhere with her skimpy bikinis leaving nothing to the imagination. She was still the tabloid princess, the fashion heiress, the dumb girl from a private school, the rich girl who didn't have a clue what it meant to have it tough. The mean girl, with her blonde best friend who showcased men on their arms like they did purses, the girl who was the best example of a train wreck. Why someone wanted to stalk her he didn't understand. It was obvious, fame was seriously overrated, because as beautiful as her face was on the cover of vogue, as special as she might have looked on life magazine, or sports illustrated swimsuit edition with her "best friend", as beautiful as the person standing in front of him was, that didn't take away from the fact that she was just a messed up kid, who had run away from the life people dreamt of.

He had researched her, when her mother's security had informed the department about the stalking, and about the person who was about to become his parents neighbour. He hadn't known her before that, but one quick search and millions of hits later, he knew everything needed. He needed to know, in order to protect her, in order keep his town safe, in order to understand, how surreal people, people you saw on the news and television, people who seemed so far away, so unreal, became real, became true. He needed to know because from the first moment he saw her face, on a website that profiled people like her, from the moment he saw her highlighted red hair, dark lips, and heavily made up face he knew there was something more. And now, seeing her, seeing her natural beauty shine, he knew what that something was. It was danger, she was a danger to him, and everything he believed in, and, apart from all that, the danger was telling him to run, run for dear life before he was forever trapped.

Edward Cullen, the Sherriff, was cordial, and amiable. He wasn't rude, especially not to victimized people, not to people who were stalked, though that never happened in this town, not to beautiful young girls, who tripped upon introductions. But Edward Cullen in this moment was scared to death, trying to run, knowing he would return, because that's what the job was, sacrifice, and he would have to sacrifice his sanity to protect someone he should be running was, so since Edward Cullen was scared, Edward Cullen wasn't cordial nor amiable, nor nice in any way at all, if he would've described himself at the moment, he would have called himself, simply, cold.

"Bella Swan, I'm Sherriff Cullen, we need to talk"

Her voice was softer than I imagined, and her shoulders were hunched, probably in fear, since shyness was obviously beyond this girl.

"Umm, ok?" she answered

"Inside" I said, and even I could tell my voice was rough, rougher than usual, and as I stared her down with a hateful stare, I saw her blush, then block her face with her hair, obviously embarrassed. Well she should be, I was probably the only person who knew who she was, she was probably regretting now the creation of the internet and free press.

I entered the house behind her, nothing had been broken, or moved. The house had been searched and no one was in there, so my edginess was unnecessary, but I still felt the hairs on my skin prickle as the noise from the outside died out, and I was alone with my worst nightmare. As she passed me I got a whiff of her hair, it was like strawberries and freesias, and completely mouthwatering. As if I needed anything else, now I wanted to taste her. I cursed my brilliant idea to speak to her in private, and I could feel her eyes on my face. I sat down across from her, with an entire coffee table and rug between us. There was a blanket on the back of her living chair, and she draped it over her, shivering. The room did seem colder than he was used to.

"SO, Ms. Swan do you have any acquaintances whose names start with J?" I asked, getting down to business.

"Sherriff, you must understand, I, I-uh, know many people, and come in contact with many people. I know several J's, more than a 100." She said quietly.

I was shocked by her numbers.

"100? How many of those are women?"

"Umm, less than half"

"well, this will be much harder than I would think."

She bit her lip, but said nothing, so I continued.

"Look, Ms. Swan, we've never had a situation like this before, this is a quiet town, any action around here goes on inside the national reserve, and the park rangers take care of that, even though they report to us. The NYPD is doing everything possible to find this man, and I assure you, we are doing everything possible for your safety, but we need you take some extra precautions, like: don't leave your door unlocked, don't answer to strangers, keep your keys on you at all times, lock your windows at night, and maintain an updated security system around your house and car. You should also try not to wander alone, especially at night."

I ended my lecture, and her eyes were watering. Immediately, I hated myself for being the monster I was to her, for not being what she deserved.

"I'm sorry" I whispered loud enough for her to hear, and she looked at me curiously.

"no, it's not that, it's just, I never thought he would find me here, I thought I was safe, I thought..." the tears streaked her face, and against my better judgement, I kneeled at her feet, so I was inches below her eye level.

"Isabella, I mean, Ms. Swan, I promise you, you are safe. And, internally fighting myself, my hand reached across her cheek, and whipped her tears away.

Once I noticed how close I was, how very immersed I was in her, I jerked to my feet.

"Well, I'll leave, I'm sure you would like some time alone." I nodded, and turned.

As I reached the door, I turned to look back, and her eyes were closed, tears still spilling out.

"I won't let anything hurt you, ever" I whispered. And with that, turned my back and walked away.

BPOV

It had been a week since the attack on my front door, and I was starting to feel safe again. At first I was terrified to be practically alone in the house, the maid, Anya brought me up some warm milk and cookies to my bedroom, and wished me a good night. She looked worried, but didn't offer any words of consolation. I slept uneasily that night. Waking up with the sound of the wind in the trees, twice I looked out of my bedroom window, there was a police car parked next door, and I guessed that was the sheriffs', once, around midnight, I went out into my balcony, and looked out, into the stars, and prayed everyone I loved was safe, and that I didn't bring danger to anyone. As I turned around, finally sleepy, I saw the shadow of a person through the light in the curtains, from the Cullens' balcony, I figured it was the Sherriff, Edward Cullen, and as I lay in my bed, I thought of his bronze hair, tough body, and green eyes. I thought of the initial coldness in those beautiful eyes, and then, the sudden blaze of emotion, as he assured me of my safety. I didn't know at what point it stopped being reality, but soon I was dreaming of green eyes, and bronze haired saviours. That was the first night I dreamt of Edward Cullen.

The following days were better. They were better because I made friends, and got to know some people in my classes. It was better because I didn't get lost on m y way home, nor did i encounter a watchful stare, by a stranger, nor hear the clicking sounds of a camera.

They were worse because I started having nightmares, nightmares where I was photographed and posted on a wall, where everything you could see was my face, and that when I turned around I was staring at blood red eyes. It was worse because I was alone and I missed Rosalie and my mom. I missed the city and all the life It had in it.

It was worse because I didn't see Sheriff Cullen at all, not even a glint of a shadow in a balcony.

I did see his mother every day, and I saw some of his features in her, like the eyes, and lips. She was sweet, and motherly. Her voice was like honey, and her mind was sharp as a knife. She drilled in us all the biological information she could, and then quizzed us heavily on each subject. She helped those who feel behind, and at the end of the class she would always ask me how I was doing that day.

On Friday, when she asked me, she also invited me for dinner, a welcome to the neighborhood dinner, she had called it, and I accepted, though I worried about who would be there.

At home, I wondered what I would wear. The weather was cool, but I didn't want to wear pants, so I put on a beige sweater dress, that reached my knee, and tan leather boots. I asked Anya to oversee the making of some chocolate swan pastries that were my favourites, and when they were finished, and tied in a box, I walked over to the Cullens' front door.

The door opened on the first knock, and again I was confronted by the beautiful, cold green eyes.

**AN I know I took long, I'm sorry, I had exams, I'm back now, and will update often, I promise, maybe even tomorrow. I've loved the reviews so far, please continue to give me any feed back.**


	4. Chapter 4

EPOV

My mother is a special woman. She is the heart and soul of my family. Compassionate and loving at all times, every act of hers, she does as an act of love, and I always try to follow her example by excellence. Never in my life had I thought that there would be a time where I would look into those green eyes, so like mine, and at that beautiful, cherubic face, and feel like strangling her.

My father knew me better than I knew myself, and loved my mother dearly, and so, he was surprised when he didn't understand my anger at her, my uncontrollable rage. He had difficulty understanding why I refused, and then agreed to attend dinner that night. He knew me so well he didn't understand my outburst upon finding out my obligatory attendance to a welcome dinner I didn't want to attend to.

My best friend, Emmett, was oblivious to the anger, and as always, laughed at me. He was the type of man who always found the laughable side of things, but at this moment, he too, I wanted to choke. I didn't want to go, so, in a show of solidarity he self invited himself, and, promised to embarrass me in every possible way at a dinner table composed of the four things I feared the most.

First, there was the knowing stare of my mother, who through every pretence, could read my emotions and feelings, could change my moods, and pierce my heart with only one shameful, or joyous look.

Second was Emmett, and his over the top, crazily embarrassing commentaries and jokes at my expense.

Third, was the perky, busy bee Alice Brandon, who since she was four, didn't leave my side and would annoy me every day of my teen years. Yes, she was my friend, and neighbour, and yes, I was terrified of her.

And fourth, and worst of all was the beautiful Bella Swan, my living nightmare. My fears, my hopes, my everything good and bad, all in one.

So, I believe, I was very much excused to be dreading a dinner, among these, and a few more guests, all of which I knew, and liked, yet dreaded seeing on that evening.

Unlucky, unhappy, and depressed were not word anyone usually associated with me, but at this moment, I was sure, and felt myself that all of these would have been perfect descriptions.

I looked at myself in the mirror. The pale face, the green eyes, the full lips, all things I had seen before, things I had memorised looked different to me, other. And the deep, bruise-like shadows under my eyes showed what little sleep I had gotten that week, and how poorly I was eating.

I straightened the neck of my chocolate brown shirt, heard the knock, and faced my fears.

BPOV

If there was something I loved, above everything else in the universe, it was music. It was something that went beyond me, something I couldn't control, nor describe. It was just when I heard the right song, the day would just be better, and I would feel safer. If I was sad, the music would always make me be happy. It was like that one song, that one song you heard, could change you for the better, change you in a way that you would never be the same again, because you heard it.

Music was the good thing in me. I couldn't play anything, or sing, but when I heard music, good music I just got that feeling deep inside of me, and I knew, I just knew that song could touch people, and change somebody else's life.

I think, that night, I understood, finally why, and the night I started to fall in love with something else. But instead, of something, it was someone, it was Edward Cullen.

You see, never in my mind would I have thought music could be any more precious or beautiful to me, until I heard him play, and when he played, I understood everything if just for a moment, I found peace and clarity in a hectic world

If I could use one word to describe dinner, I would have said it was eventful.

I was glad Alice and Jazz were here, and I was surprised the Sherriff was also. But despite the fact I didn't dare look up during the dinner, for a certain green eyed man was there, with an ice cold stare, it was the most fun I had had since I had gotten to this town. Emmett, as I had been strictly ordered to call the coach added a sunny burst of fun and childishness to contrast the very serious Sherriff. I was the youngest, since I was only sixteen and Alice was 17, Jasper 18, And Emmett and the Sherriff 23. I didn't dare ask the Cullens how old they were, but I knew they were much older than the youth they exuded.

Emmett joked at the Sherriff's expense, made fun of Alice, threw food at Jasper, kissed Mrs. Cullen on the cheek and patted Carlisle on the back, all within the first course. When desert was around, Emmett had a throbbing foot from a kick under the table; a red face from a very austere style critique; a furious stare from a Jasper, whose shirt still had salad dressing, despite his attempts to get it out with a napkin; a slap on the hand from a motherly Esme, who laughed at the "boys" playfulness; and a questionable bruise on the ear, which had appeared out of the blue, and I was sure had come from a red faced Carlisle, whom throughout the entire dinner seemed to be holding in his laughter. Apart from all these his shirt was stained with salad dressing, gravy chocolate ice cream and hot fudge, just to name a few, and of course not counting the distinguished blob of mashed potatoes, and hand shaped sticky goo that comes from Eggplants.

If not for his enormous size, I would have figures that the person who stained themselves that much had to be very small, at least one year old, for not even a three year old child could manage to be as childish as Emmett McArty. Still, despite the laughs and enjoyment, the muffled outbursts and cunning looks between the married couple and Alice and Jasper, Sherriff Cullen did not laugh, or smile, or joke, but sat in absolute silence, with a rigid pose and what seemed to be a cold heart. As far as she could tell, he was either very tense about something, or he was the coldest man in the world, for only a heartless, joyless man could not laugh at Emmett's joke about the lama, the Cuban, and the hamburger.

I wondered if he was always like this, or if something was wrong with him lately. I wondered what I could do to make him smile, so I could see him smile, and see if I liked the difference, I guessed I would. But after, I scolded myself for wondering, for hoping he would notice a teenage girl, a not so normal, teenage girl, who shouldn't be wondering what to do or say to make the much older, much more attractive and sexy Sherriff of her town laugh or smile or pay attention to her as if she actually existed to him. She didn't like it, that she knew that even if she were old enough she wouldn't be pretty enough, or smart enough, or talented enough. That even if she was charming and cunning and adorable, to all her might she would never get a man like Edward Cullen to take a second look at her. I knew his type, like Rosie, who was tall and statuesque with long blonde hair, men just fought to run their fingers through. That was probably his type, the type she would never be. I wondered what I could do to break that invisible wall that I felt between us, I could feel want and need churning inside of me, and something else, something foreign. And It was there in that dining room, surrounded by people I had just met that I realised, that what I wanted was to be good enough, perfect enough, so that he would love me. He would want me with this strong feeling I had held since the moment I met him, the feeling I couldn't place because it was a feeling foreign to me, I think, I was pretty sure, I was falling in love.

**CRASH**

The water glass fell to the floor, and I looked straight at her, openly for the first time since I had sat down at this god awful table. She didn't seem to have noticed, but was looking right past me, as if I weren't here, and her eyes were far away, as if in another world. Then, her face crumbled, in a mixture of joy and pain, and he could tell the emotions were battling out, each one trying to dominate the other.

Finally pain won, and she returned, so her eyes met mine and I saw her pain intensified there. I wondered, and panicked, what could have possibly gone wrong.

"oh!" she said in a surprise, staring down at her lap.

"I'm so sorry, how clumsy of me." She said apologetically, getting up to get the broken glass.

"Mrs. Cullen I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened"

"It's fine dear accidents happen , why don't you got to the bathroom and I'll get you some dry clothes, I'm afraid its gotten colder, and you're drenched."

"Oh, I don't want to be a bother, I'll just run over next door and change"

"Out of the question, we're doctors, we know what we're talking about, into the bathroom, it's the second door on the right." My mother told her and she excused herself and got up, walking briskly into the corridor.

Mrs. Cullen, or Esme as she had told me to call her when outside of school had been right, and I was not afraid to admit it. It WAS freezing, as I walked down the corridor to the bathroom, and my wet clothes was making my skin toughen and contract as If I had had an ice bath in the middle of winter. Trust me, it wasn't nice, and I rushed to take my clothes off inside the bathroom, and towel dry my wet thighs and stomach.

I don't know how, but I managed to tip on my sweater dress, which was on the floor so when a knock came to the door the reply was a shriek and a large thud.

Worried probably the door burst open and there was Sherriff Cullen in all his glory, his eyes on my almost naked body, wild, and well, thirsty.

He turned around abruptly, trying probably to be courteous, holding out my fresh clothes out but his feet too wrapped around the forsaken dress, and like me, he came tumbling to the floor, his chosen destination, right on top of a undressed teenage girl, who wasn't sure, but thought she was falling in love with her much older, much more attractive, neighbour\Sherriff.

Luckily his hands caught him, before he slammed into her, but the damage was done, and the heat of his body, pressed against her length in an unmistakable surge of energy.

I looked into his green eyes, and there, I knew, I was in trouble.

**Sorry, again, Next chapter also in today, wait for it.**


	5. Chapter 5

Having Rose and my mom with me was amazing. I hadn't noticed how much I had missed them. They were so much fun, and sunny, like a day on the beach, after a bad storm.

We spent the whole weekend together, I showed them the town, went out to eat with Jazz, Alice and Jacob, who came by the day after the bear fiasco. He was nice, and I enjoyed getting to know him better. He too, was like the sun, and his happiness was contagious, I never forgot _him_, for in my mind, Edward was always present, and always affecting me, but for the brief periods of time when I was with those I loved the most, and the new friends I was starting to depend on, I could truthfully say I was happy. I didn't see _him_, not at all. He didn't stop by to ask questions, and sent a deputy to the house every time they thought they had a new clue, evidence or a lead. Deputy Moore was charming, but a bit too friendly for someone we had just met. He had cropped brown hair and a completely average face, his body was shaped like a body builders, and he spoke a slithering voice that reminded me of a snake. He introduced us to his wife, who was a Wildlife specialist up at the reserve, and who was helping in the investigation ever since the bear had been stolen from there. She seemed like a nice woman, with catlike, brown eyes, and beautiful red hair, she was funny, and even asked my mother for her autograph.

Sunday came, and with it, my heart compressed as I said good bye to the two people I cared about most in the world. My mom cried and I hugged her tight, and Rose hugged me, telling me the best new I had heard since I moved back.

"I just enrolled in Forks High!" she laughed. And I stared at her, bewildered.

"IS! I'm staying!" she screamed

"No way!" I said "WAY"

Followed by various girlish screams and "Oh my Gods" I jumped up and down, and laughed and said farewell to my mother with a smile on my face, and then I showed my best friend her new room and helped her unpack the things she had hidden from me, but had brought from before.

Monday at school was different. It was better. Much better because I got the satisfaction of sitting with my new and old friends at the same table. It was better because Rose got along with everyone and everyone loved her immediately. It was better because the group didn't treat me differently after finding out who I was , and still made jokes at my stake and laughed with me and cared. But it was also worse. It was worse because with Rosalie by my side there was no doubt who I was. It was worse because people quoted various articles from tabloids about us in the halls. It was worse because outside, there were photographers who snapped shots of us in class and annoyed the teachers, and it was worse because I saw Edward, and some blonde teacher, with curly hair and bright blue eyes hug for a long time in the school parking lot, next to my car

Rose was filled in, and her only comment had been that he was "delish", so she took my arm as we walked together to the car, Alice, Jazz and Jacob next to us.

Alice saw him and urged us to go say hi. If I didn't, it would have been suspicious and weird and rude, even though my senses were screaming for me to run in the other direction.

"Hi Edward" she chirped, jumping up to kiss him on the cheek. She hugged the blonde woman.

"Hey Tanya, how's it going." She said to her, smiling and stepping back.

"Great sweetheart, just running through the last details of the wedding" she said, glowing.

"oh, that's great, I'd forgotten it was so soon."

"Yeah, this weekend, but honey, introduce us to your new friends."

"Oh, sorry" she laughed. "Bella Swan, Rosalie Hale, this is Tanya. Tanya's Edwards..."

"Wife" she said, interrupting Alice, who seemed upset all of a sudden.

But I didn't hear, I didn't see anything all I could do was feel. Feel the blind rage ripping through me as I heard the word, feel the guilt and the sorrow, the remorse, the emptiness. I was nothing, nothing no more, and the kiss had been nothing, nothing at all. He was married, he was a liar, a scum, an ass of a man. He had kissed me, a sixteen year old girl, and had made me love him. He had left me no choice, but to care, only to care and now, I knew the truth I had been the other woman, the almost concubine, the younger woman married women like Tanya, beautiful in their own way wept about at night, I was the one who destroyed families, I was a monster, guilty as him, and I deserved the anguish I felt as my heart broke, more and more with each rasping breath. My chest constricting, my feet weak. I didn't even look at him. I felt Rose murmur a hello and goodbye, and I felt her pulling my arm. I followed blindly, looking but not seeing, listening but not hearing, touching but not feeling. I knew I sat down, and I remember the racing of a car, but I didn't understand what was going on. It was like in Harry Potter, I felt as if I had just apparated and the feeling of being stuck in the too tight tube would not go away, and the blindness wouldn't heel.

When I did see, and feel and think and hear I was in Roses room, and I could hear yelling downstairs. I walked slowly down the stairs my eyes adjusting to the light, my ears to the sound. I quickly got the gist of the discussion, or argument, which were both mild descriptions of the probable cat fight that was going on in the living room.

"I OVERLOOKED THE FACT THAT YOU'RE WAY TOO OLD FOR HER. I IGNORED THE FACT THAT YOU KISSED HER AND WOULDVE PROBABLY DONE MORE IF THAT PSYCHO HADNT TURNED OFF THE LIGHT BUT I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU INTO THIS HOUSE BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE YOU A DISGUSTING PERV, BUT YOU ARE DISGUSTING _CHEATING_ PERV! NOW GET OUT BEFORE YOU WAKE HER UP!"

Rosalie was yelling, her beautiful face red, her eyes blood shot and her nose flaring.

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU? ITS NOT LIKE THAT!" he said. And he was pleading now. "JUST LET ME SEE HER!" he yelled back. I was angry now. Offended and hurt and tired.

"What for? What could you possibly explain?" I said quietly, but my voice seemed to bounce against the walls, and make an echo.

He saw me, and his face paled. Rosalie huffed and walked to me, putting an arm around me.

"See what you did!" she said.

"Rose" I cut her off "leave us alone for a second, please" I told her, knowing she wouldn't do so willingly

"No way I'm not leaving you with this-"

"Rose" I warned, and with one last glare she walked out of the room, announcing she was in the kitchen.

"Bella" he said. I cringed at the sound of my name on his lips, the same lips that had kissed me so passionately and whispered hidden sighs of delight in my ear.

"What Edward, What do you want?"

"I want to explain to you Bella, please, that woman, she..."

"Is it true, are you married?" I cut him off.

"Yes, but"

"And yet, you didn't think it necessary to mention this to me, before, or after what happened on Friday?" I cut him off again

"I didn't think-"

"well that's it then. You didn't think. I was a stupid girl for even thinking I had a chance with you, for falling for you, and you are nothing but a self indulgent cheating ass who-" with every word he stepped closer, closer to me and my tear filled face, too close, so close I could fel his breath in my face but couldn't bear to step back, close so that my rant was interrupted, and he was kissing me, kissing me like he hadn't before, his complete self immersed in the kiss, one hand on my waste the other in my hair, holding my lips against his. I felt myself, rising, into the sky and a floating feeling of happiness, and then I saw it. The picture of a smiling woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, her hands wrapped around her husband, a husband that was now kissing me, again. I stiffened and tried to fight his hold, his passion already threatening to turn my resolve, I heard it before I noticed what I had done. My hand had acted off its own accord, and had left a red palm print on the pale cheek of Edward Cullen. It surprised him and he let go, and I stepped back, as far away as the wall would let me. He looked at my hand, and then at me. He looked so sorry.

"Bella-"

"No" I said. The tears poring freely down my cheeks, my eyes over flowing so I was no longer able to see.

"You don't get to call me that. You don't get to call me anything. i want you to leave. Now. I never want to see you again. I don't care what it is, I don't want to see you ever again in my life. God I wish I'd never met you" I said. My voice breaking, my knees giving out so I closed into a ball against the wall. I saw him inch towards me.

"I said LEAVE!" I yelled at him through my tears, through my pain. he gave me one last look, his eyes showing a deep pain, and then he turned around and left. Only then, did I allow myself to feel my misery, to truly let it out and cry, my best friend, holding me, as my new one, entered the room and brought a bucket of ice cream and some movies.

"Come on" Alice said, extending a hand as Rosalie extended the other "Ice cream is a proven antidote for a broken heart. I took their arms, and let every pain of that night behind, Haagen dazs and a Harry Potter Marathon, a perfect way to start anew.

Something was up with Alice. I didn't know what it was or why she felt the need to bring up his name every time Rosalie was out of the room. I supposed she was afraid of Rose, maybe she didn't understand how much pain he had brought me. All I knew was I didn't want to hear whatever she had to say. NO matter what it was, it could change nothing and all it would do was make things worse. Maybe she wanted to apologize for not telling me he was married, but why would she, since I had told no one of my deep feelings. They were new, and strange to me. I had dated, and had one serious boyfriend before, not to mention the string of new bachelors, musicians, producers children, actors and socialites that had been connected to me for going to one event or another. Yet for none had I acquired the feelings he had stirred in me since day one, though I was sixteen, I used to feel like an experienced veteran with men, with flirting and with getting what we wanted. Rose and I both were. But he, he made me feel like I was some lovesick puppy, witnessing for the first time the possible attraction a man could create. The feeling was foreign, and unwanted, and so any reminder of him should be squashed, like at this moment when Rose had third period English, while Alice and I were heading to our Shakespearian literature class.

"Bells?" she said, her eyes wide and focused.

"Yeah?" I asked, distracted momentarily by one of the hateful girls who had taken to sticking out their feet in the hallway, hoping I would fall.

"I really need to talk to you" she said

"Bout what" I asked her, confused at the contrast from her usually chirpy tone.

"Well, it's Edwa-"

I immediately interrupted her "Alice I don't want to hear it, I've asked you to stop."

Fine, you don't want to listen to me, there's something you should know and your blatantly going to ignore me, so I'll leave you alone. Hear, he told me to give you this"

She flung a golden papered envelope in my hand and walked away briskly, faster than I would've imagined her short legs could take her.

I skipped class, something I didn't normally do, something I wasn't accustomed to, and felt jumpy about doing it, as if by sitting in my car listening to Debussy I would get detention or worse, see the beautiful blond teacher that was Edwards wife.

I stared at the simple envelope for half the period, before I built up the courage to open it.

There were two things inside, first was a long letter, written in an elegant handwriting that seemed from another age. I ignored it, leaving it for last, next was a formal written invitation.

Mr. And Mrs. Eleazar Denali formally invite you to the wedding of their daughter

Ms. Tanya Caroline Denali and Mr. Julian Bennett

On Saturday 27th of January, 2010 at Forks National Park at 4:00pm

Dress: Black tie

I stared at the paper, wondering, thinking, after ten minutes I came to the conclusion that I was confused.

Tanya was Edward's wife. And Tanya was getting married to someone else? Was that even possible? And then if it was, then ... ah, I had no clue how to figure it out. I put my head on the steering wheel and looked at my lap, where the letter sat. There was one way to figure this out, and that was probably in this letter. But could she handle whatever his explanation was, could she handle hoping again. Curiosity won over, and she unfolded the pale paper, remembering his hands, and thinking of him as he wrote words intended for her.

_Bella,_

_I'm so sorry for everything I have done to you. I never intended for anything to happen even though I know that must be little comfort to you. I can't explain what has come over me, I am not normally this type of person, I normally don't do things like, what we did, not like... It's difficult, writing, knowing you might never read these words, hoping you do. It's difficult because even though it would be better you thought me the monster you probably think I am, I can't bear the thought that you are unhappy, or suffering because of me. Tanya she, she's not my wife anymore, the day you met her, was the day our divorce came through, even though we didn't know it at the time. She's getting married, this weekend and she's very much in love with her fiancée. She wanted to invite you to the wedding and I could give up the opportunity to explain to you. We were only married for six months, and it was on a stupid drunken impulse. It never mattered, and I don't know why I care if you think it does. I cant make you the promises I wish I could, I cant give you what you want, or what I want, I cant, because im not that person and I wasn't raised to be like that. All I can give you is a friend, and a protector, and I hope you decide to accept it. Please understand how very sorry I am. And if you decide to forgive me, I will be waiting, by the swings, at 6 on Saturday. _

_Begging for forgiveness,_

_Edward._


End file.
